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One More Bennachie Trig

New_Route.gpx I hadn't been anywhere in 2024 so far, and was getting itchy feet. The forecast didn't look great, but this part of the country seemed to avoid the weather warnings for high winds - according to the website I looked at, at least. And since there were plenty of Subs I hadn't visited, I...
by aaquater
Sat Feb 17, 2024 10:37 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: One More Bennachie Trig
Replies: 0
Views: 252

Weezing vs Articuno

New_Route.gpx I know, a cheap title. Looking at the name Plynlimon, I couldn't help but think it sounded like a 'plyn' (gas) kind of Pokémon - and with the weather turning a lot colder, the gas Pokémon would've been under the attack of an icy one. Perhaps. Either way, I had one last chance for a We...
by aaquater
Tue Jan 02, 2024 9:31 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Outside Scotland
Topic: Weezing vs Articuno
Replies: 0
Views: 1224

Re: Japan Is Kind to Walkers (Except When It Isn't)

Thank you. I've only been able to find a handful of walk reports from Japan on here, that's why I put mine up too. Of course, I'm aware the most popular destinations are NW/W of Tokyo or in Hokkaido, so the route I've described probably won't be followed by anyone, but I was very limited in terms of...
by aaquater
Fri Dec 01, 2023 5:17 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Outside Scotland
Topic: Japan Is Kind to Walkers (Except When It Isn't)
Replies: 5
Views: 913

Japan Is Kind to Walkers (Except When It Isn't)

mapa.jpg So, I was to attend a conference held in Japan. Others from my group were staying for at least a week longer to explore Japan a little bit; unfortunately, I couldn't afford that, as I had to leave some ongoing things for other people to take care of while I was away, and it wouldn't have b...
by aaquater
Thu Nov 23, 2023 10:07 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Outside Scotland
Topic: Japan Is Kind to Walkers (Except When It Isn't)
Replies: 5
Views: 913

What Kind of Fras Am I Climbing?!

New_Route.gpx The meaning of this title is a little lost if you're unfamiliar with the word 'fras' as I've learnt it. But, let's just say that English has several 4-letter words that can work as translations (though the most accurate one has 5)... Two challenges had to be faced before the hillwalk ...
by aaquater
Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:52 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Outside Scotland
Topic: What Kind of Fras Am I Climbing?!
Replies: 0
Views: 727

Fibroblast Idris


New_Route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


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Where should I go? Not too far N, but I didn't want to go to the Beacons two weekends in a row, so I opted for Cadair Idris. Not any less popular, but I hadn't been to those parts of Wales yet. Plus it seemed just about everyone climbed it from the lower car park - well I wanted to start from the upper one and save myself a few miles' worth of fuel. The car park was well served by paths too

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The path was a bit muddy, but got a lot better once the ridge was joined. On the flatter part, there was a stile, but the path continued on my side too, so I wasn't sure whether to go over the fence or not. But just before the steeper bit began, I hopped over

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The path was a lot clearer N of the fence, which was useful on this bit. Above, there was another stile heading left over the ridge, but I opted to go right for a bit, aiming to make the most of the views N - and they were delightful

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Following the fence SW again, I had the first Hewitt of the day, Mynydd Moel, dead ahead. Unfortunately, the ridge was quite boggy after the recent rainfall, so the going was boggy and squiggly until another steeper part was reached

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From Mynydd Moel, though, the path had several lanes of traffic and minimal bogs; a place fit for a family stroll. All I kept seeing, though, were groups of guys, all 30+. A place fit for a work group stroll?

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So I was on Penygadair in no time. And the views were lovely in all directions. It was easy to see why the place was so popular

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The descent W was surprisingly technically challenging - at least to the previous sections of the walk. Upon reaching the col, though, I had a lovely view into the corrie hosting Llyn y Gadair

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A few minutes later, I was on Cyfrwy. I found it hard to believe it was its own hill, not a minor top of Penygadair, as I hadn't climbed anything from the col. But the prominence cutoff for Hewitts is only 30 m, after all. Further on were Craig-las and Craig-y-llyn, but in the interest of time, I couldn't afford venturing that far. It would've been difficult to return from there, too. So I turned on my heel and headed back towards Penygadair instead

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Only for a short time, though. Veering left from the path I was on, I used a semi-path to end up on the other path heading down from Penygadair, and then up Creag Cwm Amarch. A short ascent, but one that made me feel a lot more like I was bagging another hill

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Except that on the summit, I couldn't help but think the SW top was higher. Earlier, I'd seen it wasn't. The map showed it wasn't. But I still made the detour across some not-really-pathed terrain to find out that, indeed, it wasn't

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Creag Cwm Amarch - the real summit - had some sweet views towards Penygadair and Llyn Cau below. That's where I was heading next, although rather than a direct tumble, I took the path down the E ridge. Until I, of course, lost sight of it, kept going downhill, and realised I was heading directly for the A487, not the llyn. So I climbed back up, went down the correct direction, and found the path shortly after. With all the short detours and returns, I knew I'd be tracing something that would look like a cell with several cellular projections (and perhaps Llyn Cau as the nucleus). Except this last one was a very much unaccounted-for cytoskeletal formation

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Once I was on the path again, the descent all the way to the main car park was simple. One thing that stood out, though, was encountering a couple that looked to be exhausted and asked me if they were there yet. I looked at Penygadair, towering over everything... "Where is 'there'?" Turns out they were just heading for the llyn - in which case, there was just a bit remaining

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On a relative scale, that was also true in my case. There was a track running parallel to the road that I was aiming for, and was hoping to find a path of sorts leading to it. I didn't, though, so it was an uncomfortable two minutes walking on the A487, which offers few places to hide from cars, before I joined the track for the uphill, but simple return back to the car. And once in the car, a simple but 4-hour drive back...
by aaquater
Sat Nov 18, 2023 6:25 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Outside Scotland
Topic: Fibroblast Idris
Replies: 0
Views: 22

The Fans of the Beacons


New_Route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


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Kind of sounds like I'll be talking about the crowd at a sports match, but although the Beacons are a football team based in London, these ones are the Brecon Beacons. Which have their fair share of Fans, as well as fans. I knew that before going in, but even though I thought I aimed for one of the less popular car parks, it was still full upon arrival, so I had to leave the car on a safe-looking spot of grass before setting off NE on the gravel track

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The map suggests the Cambrian Way crosses the road in the col. Thinking it could offer a shortcut, I took it, heading uphill diagonally. But the path was faint, boggy, and disappeared upon encountering Nant Bwrefwr. I could see people walking uphill on its other side, but the stream was too wide to be crossed, so I ventured upstream for quite a bit before climbing up the steep E bank

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Only then, and after a short expedition through the heather, did I join the main path, both well-made and well-popular. Getting to the top of Craig y Fan Ddu, the next section was a gentle stroll around the valley of Blaen y Glyn, still on a very good path

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After turning right came the 'ascent' of Waun Rydd, a really spacious, spread-out hill that didn't have a path leading to the summit according to the map. There was one branching left off of the path I was on, though, so I took it, and was on the summit a few minutes later

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The way down really didn't have a path - at least one heading back towards the junction. But I joined the path I'd been on previously pretty soon, and set off W along the main ridge of the Brecon Beacons. Once again, a good path that I stepped off of quite often due to traffic

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The undulating ridge took me to Fan y Big, with the path-marked ridge leading NNE pictured. As suggested by the name - the third meaning of the word fan - it was quite windy, so I went on without stopping

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The next steps would lead to Cribyn. This might be improper to be said by someone who'd only been there once, but the sight of Cribyn and Pen y Fan behind seemed quite Assynt-y to me...

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Going over it posed no difficulties, though, perhaps in contrast to the Assynt hills. Down in the col, I came across a few very tame ponies - like, the path I was on is visible in the picture. Unfortunately, that col also had a bog that didn't shy away from approaching the path, so a detour S was needed

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Then came Pen y Fan, the last real climb of the day. I didn't feel as fresh as 2.5 hours earlier, but the path still made that climb pleasant. To be honest, the summit also came as a bit of a surprise, as I kept looking at Corn Du, expecting it to be Pen y Fan, and then realised I got somewhere higher. Well at least I could look back on the ridge I'd already crossed

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As well as Corn Du that I'd get to in a few moments. But before that, I stopped in the col between the two, where I was sheltered from the wind, and had a proper lunch. Then it was just about following the path down the SE shoulder and looking for the path heading downhill

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I'd expected to work it out from the bends on the ridge. Cairns marking path junctions don't tend to be that big. But this one was an exception - and the path heading down was quite clear on its own, too. It looked kind of scree-y, so I was a bit apprehensive, but it held together better than I expected

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Further down, the ground got boggy again. The initial plan was to follow a path through the woods back to the car park, but when I had to make the choice between a woodland path of dubious quality and an asphalt road, with the sunset approaching, I went for the safer option.

Speaking of the sunset, turning left on the A465 in Merthyr Tydfil, in the dark, was a bit of a nightmare, and I got stuck in an industrial area while trying to follow the diversion signs... but that's another matter. I should update the maps on my satnav, for one...
by aaquater
Sat Nov 18, 2023 4:52 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Outside Scotland
Topic: The Fans of the Beacons
Replies: 0
Views: 18

One Last (Hill) Before I Go


New_Route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


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For various reasons, I hadn't visited any Scottish hill since mid-June, and was going to travel pretty far from the Highlands on Sunday, so I wanted to - to paraphrase Jacoby Shaddix - colour at least one more pin blue before that. Keeping in mind I needed to pack, and thus couldn't spend the whole day on the hills, I decided on Meall Buidhe - a solitary-ish unclimbed hill with a convenient car park below. And even from that car park, a clear track led up the hill, making the climb quick and effortless.

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At least until the mast. Further on, it was a grassy and heathery affair to the summit. Not the easiest - I sank quite deep into the foliage on occasion, not to mention the moat around the mast itself took some time to get through - but it couldn't be called challenging, either. Plus with the nice weather, and the feeling of liberation in the solitude of the hill (whether from the past or the future), the climb felt really pleasant.

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Then I reached the summit - relatively flat, but with several outcrops - and views to the Loch Earn and Loch Tay hills opened up. It was a bit of a nostalgic feeling, given they were among the first Scottish hills I'd climbed, back when my walks had featured the aspect of rushing to catch the last bus back.

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20 heathery minutes later, I'd crossed the 'col' and climbed Beinn Leabhainn, to get a better view of Ben Lawers & Co. My search for the best viewing spot had carried me further than I'd expected, because Beinn Leabhainn was even less summit-y than Meall Buidhe, but the views were definitely worth it. And I was still kind of directly above the mast anyway.

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From there, I turned down (well, up over the first outcrop, then down for good), again over some pathless heather, towards said mast. Actually, a little to the right of that mast; going up, I'd thought the land over there had looked better, and indeed, that turned out to be the case. After that, it was just a short way down a zig-zaggy track. And on the next day, a long way down A roads. Whatever would take place down there, I hoped I'd come back with at least a few Hewitts to my name...
by aaquater
Tue Nov 14, 2023 11:00 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: One Last (Hill) Before I Go
Replies: 0
Views: 19

Re: The battle of the bog

Haven't been there yet, but this report only confirms by belief that once Croit Bheinn is reached, the best way to get back down is over Rois-Bheinn... :D
by aaquater
Thu Jul 20, 2023 3:00 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: The battle of the bog
Replies: 5
Views: 989

Re: Saying No maMore

A great route and enjoyed your chat along the way. It's always interesting how walks evolve a life of their own and adapting to that is part of the fun of it. :D Thank you. :) I'm the type of person who only ever makes a plan once I'm reasonably confident it'll be the final version, so realising I'...
by aaquater
Tue Jul 18, 2023 11:56 am
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: Saying No maMore
Replies: 2
Views: 437

Cos; I'm Mistreating Corbetts

New_Route.gpx Funny how so far this year, I'd bagged 9 Munros, 7 Fionas, 7 Subs, but not a single Corbett. With the long dry period nearing its end, thunderstorms being forecast for the night already, the plan was to nip in just before and capitalise on the conditions to cross the Kingie, a feat sa...
by aaquater
Tue Jul 18, 2023 11:34 am
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: Cos; I'm Mistreating Corbetts
Replies: 0
Views: 383

The New Maximum


New_Route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


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After many dry weeks, rain was starting to arrive. Some W hills had been rained on the previous week, but the far N hadn't been hit yet, so I had a look at what place over there was best to do after a long dry spell, and discovered the Ben Griams, and the supposedly serious river separating them. It took a LONG drive to reach the place - and what greeted me there was... yes, sheep crowding the single-track A road, but more importantly, the vast emptiness. As far as eye could see, only lochs, grassy hills, and sheep. And clegs - though only by the road. This is a word I really don't tend to use, but it felt like the god-forgotten land.

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I was there for the hills, though. And when it comes to the Ben Griams, for people going over both, there seems to be only one way to do it, and I followed suit. Taking the track from the parking spot, I left it at a place I felt was convenient, and tackled the pathless, grassy slope. The gradient wasn't steep, and maybe I could've stayed on the track for a little longer, but no matter. A few minutes later, I reached the crest of the ridge, if it could be called that.

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From there, the walk got a bit steeper - but also gained a path of sorts. At least through the initial steep bit. The path seemed sandy and loose, but held together surprisingly well. Further up, as the gradient eased again, the path fizzled away - but there was no risk of getting lost. Upon reaching a rather significant cairn, views around opened up - such as the one of the Bens Armine and Klibreck looking SW.

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There were views in all directions, but few held significant points of interest, Ben Griam Beg being a notable exception, of course. To get there, the NE shoulder of Ben Griam Mor had to be descended. The map hints at this too, but the shoulder was of a really terraced character, steep bits interchanging with flat ones. Nothing too difficult, though, just adding a bit of flavour to the walk. At the bottom, I reached moorland said to be awful - and perhaps it would've been otherwise, but it had been sucked dry over the past month, and walking through it wasn't that much different from walking through a park in the city.

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For the river, it was the same. There was hardly any water in it, and I would've had more trouble looking for a place that I couldn't cross easily. Then came some more dry moorland and Ben Griam Beg. This one wasn't so terraced - though it might've been comparably steep to the W side of Ben Griam Mor. Eventually - well, only about 1h50 since leaving the car - the trig was reached.

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I mean, I'd been overwriting the nothernmost place I'd ever walked on with every step since leaving the car, but it was still nice to have the new maximum marked by a trig - and Ben Griam Beg would be the new maximum for the time being, as I wouldn't go any further N that day. :D Morven, the triangle on the horizon, had been another candidate for the day's walk, but it would've taken more time (and stayed below the latitude of Sail Ghorm), with the drive not significantly shorter. Speaking of, I still had the drive back to look forward to, so after devouring a snack, I set off down Ben Griam Beg again. More or less the same line, though I diverged in the moorland, aiming more for Loch Druim a'Chliabhain.

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I'd been to Tentsmuir just the previous day. Two beaches in two days, I say, even if Loch Druim a'Chliabhain is decidedly less tidal. :D Another difference: in the already published reports, a good path is mentioned, running all the way to the boat house by Loch Coire nam Mang. If I saw one - or decided that I'd treat one of the lines in the grass as a path - I'd hesitate before calling it good. Honestly, walking on the sand was much easier. And once that was over, I turned to heather-bashing - even when it came to crossing the thin strip of land between the two lochs.

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A similar story with Loch Coire nam Mang, except its shores were more rocky than sandy. And one of the burns feeding into it was a much bigger task to cross than the outflow from Loch Druim a'Chliabhain. As I was approaching the boat house, the rocky beach gave way to a cliff, so I crossed the last bit through heather again. From then on, it was a simple task of following the track back to the car. And then a less simple task of driving home. On the next day, I watched a radar and precipitation nowcast show rain in the Kinbrace area - but I didn't have to care anymore. I'd been there and bagged'em already. That Sunday was the perfect day for updating life's statistics. ;D
by aaquater
Sun Jul 16, 2023 10:28 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: The New Maximum
Replies: 0
Views: 63

Saying No maMore

New_Route.gpx I'll never feel proud of choosing not to climb a hill. I just won't. But unlike several other blunders that were purely down to my own stupidity, this decision had sensible reasoning behind it, so I'm letting it slide. Due to the combination of the weather, the (lack of) company, and ...
by aaquater
Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:10 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: Saying No maMore
Replies: 2
Views: 437

By the Sun, We ArDrained


New_Route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


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Another day when I was coming up with a route for J. We didn't feel like doing anything long, so since the Tops spanner had been thrown into the idea of the 7 Munros S of Crianlarich and breaking them up into 3 walks, I just chose the simplest of them: Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain, extended to the Stob Garbh Top. Before we even got there, though, the Inverlochlarig road was an experience by itself - not so much due to the state of the road as the traffic on it; there must've been a wedding or some other festivity going on at Monachyle, with tons of cars going either way. But we managed to get to the car park, put the sun shade on the car and sunblock on ourselves, and set off, following the official Beinn Tulaichean route. All in the heat of the early afternoon.

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After the track start, we noticed and took a faint path heading up the Munro, winding between the growing bracken. The path was steep and we were downing a lot of water under the uncompromising sun, but at least altitude was gained rapidly. (As far as I was concerned; J, who kept asking me to estimate our position based on the helpfully-shaped Stob Coire an Lochain S ridge, must've thought we were like snails, appropriately cooked in salt water.) Eventually, we reached the described fence - but a bit too far N; to reach the gate from the official route, we had to veer left for a little while. On the other side, the gradient did lay off for a little bit - or maybe I just thought that because we had a better path under our feet. Views to Stob a'Choin also opened up properly, and while I stuck with Stob Coire an Lochain for altitude estimations, I couldn't help but admire the N face of the Corbett, which looked appreciably intimidating. :D

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Later on, there was a real, tangible ease in the gradient, before the last zig-zaggy push towards the summit. On the Munro, we had a short break that J used for counting the number of false summits she'd come across before reaching the true summit of Cruach Ardrain. I was focused more on the nature of the hills around. For some reason, I'd always held the image of these hills as - yes, steep - but sort of uniformly blanketed in grass; there were so many cliffs poking through! We also wondered about the people we saw approaching Beinn Tulaichean from the N and the walks they were on. I was of the impression they must've been on the 7-Munro round; the other 6 can be joined by a single ridge easily, but Tulaichean is a bit of an outlier. That made more sense to me than doing the same round we were on but in reverse.

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Leaving Beinn Tulaichean behind (with barely a descent to speak of until the col under Cruach Ardrain), we had the second ascent of the day ahead of us. Still on a good path, and with J keeping track of all the false summits, we reached the second Munro of the day really fast. We had lunch, and then I wanted to continue to Stob Garbh. Except, we reached a dissonance. The NE side of Cruach Ardrain was really steep, and J didn't feel confident enough to go for it. She suggested I could go there alone while she'd return along the official route and we'd meet up down by Inverlochlarig Burn, where the track began, but that was an option I wasn't okay with, especially given the lack of phone signal in the glen. I don't like changing the route I set off to do, but it had to be done. We turned back to follow the official route all the way.

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At least I remembered the cairn marking the path junction from the way up, so we didn't have to look for it. And, not unlike the way up, the paths were in better shape than the description suggested. This path didn't fizzle out or disappear; we followed it all the way down to the track. I kept looking to my left at the SE side of Stob Garbh I would've been descending otherwise, and felt some relief I didn't have to deal with that and had a good path to walk on. We were in no rush, and once on the track, spent the remaining time on logic games, finding ourselves in front of the Inverlochlarig Farm before we knew it. Not the most thrilling of stories, and I'd be lying if I said I felt no disappointment, but this simply was as much as this walk could provide. -well, I take that back. At Inverlochlarig, J couldn't resist buying some frozen venison. And how THAT story had turned out - whether it had reached its conclusion in the first place - I have to say, I still don't know! :D
by aaquater
Sat Jul 15, 2023 10:17 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: By the Sun, We ArDrained
Replies: 0
Views: 65

Topping Up the Black Mount

New_Route.gpx This time, J was the boss. Who'd be invited, where we'd go, she had the final pick. I just gave her a few options for possible walks - with a significant bias towards the Black Mount. In the end, that was the chosen walk, so I could deem my persuasion skills effective. :D As J had stu...
by aaquater
Sat Jul 15, 2023 6:00 pm
 
Forum: Walk reports - Scotland
Topic: Topping Up the Black Mount
Replies: 0
Views: 273
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